Courier companies vs. postal services in Maryland: What’s the difference?
August 19, 2020 at 7:00 AM
small business owner sending package to courier company in Maryland

The average person may easily assume that courier and postal services refer to the same thing. But when you’re someone who depends on swift deliveries — like a small business owner who needs to ship out orders quickly, for example — then these differences can make or break your success.

Where postal deliveries tend to take some time getting to their destination, courier services prioritize sending out shipments in the shortest amount of time possible.

Here we’ll explain a few more differences between courier companies and postal services in Maryland, and why you should choose Castelano Delivery for your shipping needs.

1. Delivery times

Because postal services handle so much mail every day, it’s hard to know exactly when you’ll get your mail or packages delivered. One of the benefits of working with a courier service is the speed and efficiency at which they make their deliveries.

Courier services are especially helpful for next-day and same-day deliveries, and your provider will usually tell you the specific date and time your package will arrive. Compare that to postal services, which will usually only provide an estimated day of arrival and pickup location.

2. Shipment tracking

And going off of that last point, most courier services also provide you with delivery updates in real-time. If you’re the kind of person who constantly checks on their delivery throughout the shipping process, you’re probably very familiar with this already.

If you're expecting a package with an expensive purchase in it, this feature is especially helpful to make sure that you're at home or at the office to pick up your shipment when it arrives.

3. Less shipping restrictions

Courier services also boast less shipping restrictions for their packages.

When you go to a post office, you’ll often see a section of the mail room filled with different sized packages to choose from. Your package must fit in one of these boxes and weighed to estimate the cost before your package is accepted. In addition to that, post offices will not ship certain kinds of items, like batteries, alcohol, and fresh produce.

But when you work with a courier service, you’ll notice that there are significantly less package restrictions to worry about. This makes them a lot easier to work with, especially if you’re a retail business owner.

4. Additional customized services

Many courier services will offer additional services and benefits in addition to their typical offerings. They will vary widely between couriers, but if you’re looking for something specific, it may help to shop around — you might just find exactly what you need.

Castelano Delivery, for example, offers dedicated delivery drivers for your exclusive use. Whether you need to make a large one-time delivery or require delivery assistance several times a year, we’ll help to make sure your shipping needs are met exactly to your specifications.

Get in touch with Castelano Delivery today

When you need speedy delivery from a top courier company in Maryland, choose us. Since our establishment in 2018, we’ve offered our white-glove services to clients all over Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.

If you have industry-specific needs, we have delivery expertise for businesses shipping:

  • Medical specimens and pharmaceuticals
  • Office products
  • Auto parts
  • Legal documents
  • Print and mail

And to show you that we’re a courier service you can trust and rely on, we’ve also received accreditations from:

  • Transportation Security Administration
  • Minority Business Enterprise
  • Integrity Medical Courier Training
  • Customized Logistics and Delivery Association

Contact us using the form on our website to request a quote for your next delivery. For your pressing delivery questions and concerns, please email info@castelanodelivery.com or call 443-545-7229.